Device for Handling and/or Treating Products

ABSTRACT

A device for handling or treating products has a housing having sidewalls. At least one sidewall has a through opening that is provided in a support arranged on the at least sidewall. The support delimits at least one flow channel for a gaseous medium. A profiled section having at least one aperture is provided, wherein the profiled section and the support together delimit the at least one flow channel. The support closes off the at least one aperture in the profiled section.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for handling and/or treating products. sThe device comprises a housing with sidewalls and at least one opening provided on a support that is arranged on at least one of the sidewalls.

For example, in the pharmaceutical industry it is known to safely handle and/or treat sensitive products or products that are harmful to humans in a closed device. For this purpose, the device has in a sidewall of the housing at least one through opening. A glove is connected seal-tightly to the edge of the through opening and extends toward the interior. The manufacture of such devices is complex and expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to configure a device of the aforementioned kind such that it can be produced inexpensively and such that the housing is properly sealed.

In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that the support delimits at least one flow channel for a gaseous medium.

In the device according to the invention, the support comprises a flow channel for a gaseous medium. This gaseous medium flows through the interior of the housing in which the product is handled or treated. Possibly occurring contaminations are picked up by the airflow and removed through the flow channel. Advantageously, the gaseous medium is guided in circulation within the device so that the medium loaded with the dirt/pollutant particles does not reach the exterior. Advantageously, at least one fan unit is used for the circulation and the gaseous medium is circulated by means of the fan unit.

Further features of the invention can be taken from the claims, the description, and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of the device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a small-scale illustration of a side view of the device according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in the direction of arrow III in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective illustration showing a view in the direction of arrow IV of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective and partially exploded illustration of a different view of the device according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a detail view of the device according to the invention showing in section a portion of the sidewall that can be closed by a door.

FIG. 7 shows in section a detail of a portion of the sidewall according to FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The device illustrated in the drawings is an isolator in which products are handled that are to be protected from all kinds of contaminants. Such isolators are used also when the operator must be protected from the product to be handled.

The device according to FIGS. 1 to 7 has a housing 1 with longitudinal sidewalls 2, 3 that are parallel to one another; sidewalls 4, 5 connected the sidewalls 2, 3; a bottom 6, and a top 7. In the illustrated embodiment, three fan units 8 are mounted on the top 7 and are arranged at minimal spacing adjacent to one another; they extend between the opposed, parallel sidewalls 2, 3. The fan units 8 as well as the top 7 are recessed relative to the upper edge of the sidewalls 2 to 5 so that the sidewalls 2 to 5 project upwardly past them. By means of the fan units 8 air is sucked in and guided through openings (not illustrated) provided in the top 7 into the housing 1. The housing 1 contains the products to be handled, for example, pharmaceutical products. The products can be filled into bottles or can be placed into packages, for example. By means of the air flow passing through the housing 1, illustrated in FIG. 3 by means of the arrows, the product is protected from becoming contaminated. Depending on the requirements posed in regard to the product, it can be necessary to operate the isolator under cleanroom conditions. In this case, filter fan units are mounted on the top 7; the filter fan units have in addition to the fan unit also an appropriate filter. The air flows essentially free of turbulence through the interior of the housing 1 and is returned in a way to be described in the following to the fan units 8.

Adjacent to the narrow sidewall 4, a support in the form of a door 10 is provided in the sidewall 3; by means of the door 10 the frame opening 9 provided within a frame 36 can be closed seal-tightly. The door 10 has advantageously at least one through opening 11 or a view port through which the space behind the frame opening 9 can be observed.

Adjacent to the door 10, a frame opening 12 is provided in the sidewall 3 which is seal-tightly closed by two closure elements 13 (FIG. 5).

On the side that is facing away from the door 10, the frame opening 12 is adjoined by a support in the for of a door 16 with which a frame opening 15 provided in the frame 37 can be tightly closed. The door 16 is pivotably supported on (hinged to) the exterior side of the sidewall 3 about a vertical axis located adjacent to the narrow sidewall 5. Three through openings 17 through 19 are positioned adjacent to one another at the same level in the door 16; the operator can access the interior of the isolator with his hands and arms in order to grip or handle the products contained in the isolator. Gloves (not illustrated) are seal-tightly connected to the through openings 11, 17 through 19 and extend toward the interior.

A door 10 with a through opening 11 and a door 16 with three through openings 17 to 19 are pivotably supported on the opposed sidewall 2 (FIG. 4). In contrast to the sidewall 3, the sidewall 2 is not provided with a view port between the doors 10, 16. Of course, the sidewall 2 can be designed the same way as the sidewall 3. Also, the sidewall 3 can have the same configuration as the sidewall 2.

In the narrow sidewall 5, two frames 65, 66 with frame openings 20 and 21 are provided. The frame opening 20 that is positioned adjacent to the sidewall 3 is closed by a closure element 23. Its upper half is provided with a slanted outwardly oriented product introducing element 24 that has an insertion opening 25.

The frame opening 21 is positioned adjacent to the sidewall 2 and is seal-tightly closed by at least one closing element.

The oppositely positioned narrow sidewall 4, as illustrated in FIG. 4, is also provided with two frames 67, 68 with frame openings 27, 28 that are positioned adjacent to one another. The frame opening 27 is closed by a closure element 30 that has at least one through opening 29. In the frame opening 28 there is at least one closure element 31.

As shown in FIG. 3, the air flows in the interior of the isolator free of turbulence in the downward direction and passes in the area of the bottom 6 through slots (intake openings) 33 into the flow channels 34, 35. Sucked in through the fan units 8, the air flows in the channels upwardly and exits in the area above the top 7 from the flow channels. The air is then again sucked in by the fan units 8 and returned into the interior of the isolator. In this way, the air is circulated within the isolator. Such a flow guiding action is advantageous when the product that is manipulated in the isolator should not reach the room in which the isolator is installed because the products are toxic or hazardous, for example, or because products are to be protected from effects of the surroundings. The fan units 8 are positioned beneath a lid (not illustrated) that is placed onto the sidewalls 2 to 5 and closes off the space in which the fan units 8 are received.

The flow channels 34, 35 form return channels that are arranged in the frames 36, 37. The two frames 36, 37 in the sidewalls 2, 3 each are formed as a hollow frame comprised of profiled sections. As shown in FIG. 1 in an exemplary fashion for the frames 36, 37 in the sidewall 3, the intake openings 33 are provided in the lower horizontal profiled sections or frame parts 38, 39. For example, the intake openings 33 are positioned adjacent and above on another such that the air can flow from the interior of the isolator uniformly into the lower frame parts 38, 39. Within this frame part 38, 39, the air flows laterally into the vertical frame parts 40, 41; 42, 43. From here the air flows into the upper frame part 44, 45 in which the outlet openings (not illustrated) are provided.

The frames 36, 37 are designed such (FIGS. 6 and 7) that their frame parts are partially open and are closed by the doors 10 or 16. In FIGS. 6 and 7, this is illustrated for the frame parts 42, 43 of the frame 37. The frame parts 42, 43 have a rectangular cross-section and are provided at their exterior side across their length with an aperture 46, 47. When the door 16 is closed, these apertures 46, 47 are closed by the door 16 so that the flow channels 34 formed by the frame parts 42, 43 are closed. All frame parts of the frame 36, 37 are formed in this way. The doors 10 and 16 close off in their closed position the apertures in these frame parts.

The frame parts 42, 43 each have at their exterior side a section 48, 49 that delimits the aperture 46, 47 on one side. The width of the wall sections 48, 49 is preferably smaller than the width of the aperture 46, 47.

The frame part 43 is mounted on a corner column 50 on which the neighboring sidewall 5 is also secured. The frame part 43 is fastened in such a way to the corner column 50 that the wall section 49 is recessed relative to the exterior side 51 of the corner column 50 belonging to the sidewall 3. An L-shaped angled rail 52 is fastened with its short leg 53 to the corner column 50 such that the long leg 54 of the L-shaped angled rail 52 is aligned with the exterior side 51 of the corner column 50 (FIG. 7). On the leg 54, the hinges 55, 56 (FIG. 1) are fastened by which the door 16 is pivotably supported. The wall section 49 of the frame part 43 and the leg 54 of the L-shaped angled rail 52 delimit a narrow receiving space 57 in which a profiled seal 58 is arranged. The profiled seal 58 is approximately a square hollow profiled section whose interior 59 is connected to a pressure medium source. When the door 16 is closed, the interior of the seal 59 is pressurized so that the face 60 of the seal 58 neighboring the door frame 61 is elastically deformed outwardly and contacts sealingly the door frame 61. The profiled seal 58 is embodied as a circumferential seal that is arranged in the frames 36, 37 in the described way. By pressure loading the interior of the profiled seal 58, the corresponding seal face 60 comes to rest against the door frame 61 so that a proper sealing action is achieved. The door 16 can be opened and closed without problems. Before closing or opening, the interior 59 of the seal is relieved so that the sealing face 60 returns elastically into its initial position in which it has a spacing from the door frame 61, as illustrated in FIG. 7. The door 16 can then be opened or closed without there being any danger of damaging the seal 58.

In the described way, all frames are provided advantageously with profiled seals that, after closing the door, respectively, are deformed elastically by means of a pressure medium, preferably compressed air, to such an extent that they are pressed sealingly against the door frame. Within the receiving space 57, the profiled seals are attached in a known way.

The frame leg 62 facing away from the corner column 50 and extending perpendicularly to the closed door 16 ends at minimal spacing in front of the inner side of the door 16. On the free end of the frame leg 62, a lip seal 63 is provided that is pressed with its sealing lip sealingly against the inner side of the door 16 in the closed position of the door. In this way, the flow channel 34 is sealed relative to the interior of the isolator. The lip seal 63 extends about the circumference of the frame 37. The other frames are provided in the same way with such lip seals that rest sealingly against the closed door, respectively.

The isolator not only has the frames on which the doors 10, 16 are hinged but also the additional frames 64 to 68 that surround the closure elements 13, 23, 30, 31. All frames 64 to 68 can be configured as hollow frames in which the air flowing through the isolator is guided from the bottom area upwardly to the fan units 8. In contrast to the frames provided on the doors 10, 16, the frames 64 to 68 are closed on all sides.

In this way, the sides of the isolator can be designed by means of the frames 36, 37 and 64 to 68 in a modular fashion. Depending on the specifications required from the isolator, the sidewalls can be combined of different elements in this way without any problem. The frames 36, 37, 64 to 68 enable also a simple assembly and disassembly of the isolator. In the corners of the housing 1, the corner columns 50 are arranged to which the neighboring frames are attached. The frames can also be directly connected to one another. Since the frames are rectangular frames, they can be simply placed against one another with their plane outer sides and connected to one another.

Since the fan units 8 are also of a modular configuration, a simple assembly of the fan units 8 is ensured. As an example, the illustrated embodiment is provided with two drive units 14 that maintain the pressure in the isolator. One drive unit 14 takes in ambient air while the other drive unit 14 exhausts the air from the isolator to the exterior. When the isolator interior is to be kept relative to the surroundings at overpressure or underpressure, the two drive units 14 operate such that as a sum of the sucked-in and exhausted air the desired overpressure or underpressure is generated within the interior of the isolator. The drive units 14 each have a support plate 69. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the support plates 69 are attached to the upper edge of the sidewalls 2 to 5. Between the support plates 69 a cover plate 70 is arranged. Also, the isolator can have a single drive unit 14 or more than two drive units 14. Depending on the length of the housing 1, no cover plate or several cover plates 70 are required between the individual units 14.

Instead of being exhausted into the surroundings, the exhausted and/or sucked-in air can be supplied to an exhaust system or can be supplied form an air supply system. It is also possible to eliminate the drive units 14 and to control supply and removal of air, inclusive of the pressure control, by the exhaust air and supply air system.

The isolator is used advantageously in the pharmaceutical industry but can also be used in general for handing dangerous products of substances.

The doors 10, 16 are comprised preferably of transparent material, preferably glass. This has the advantage that a visual control of the flow channels 34, 35 in the frames 36, 37 is possible without problem even during operation.

The present invention incorporates by reference the entire disclosure of German priority application DE 20 2005 005 902.1 having a filing date of Apr. 7, 2005.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. 

1. A device for handling and/or treating products, the device comprising: a housing having sidewalls; at least one sidewall having a through opening, wherein the through opening is provided in a support arranged on the at least sidewall; at least one flow channel for a gaseous medium wherein the at least one flow channel is delimited by the support.
 2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a profiled section having at least one aperture, wherein the profiled section and the support together delimit the at least one flow channel, and wherein the support closes off the at least one aperture in the profiled section.
 3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the profiled section is a part of a hollow frame.
 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the hollow frame surrounds a frame opening that is closable by the support.
 5. The device according to claim 2, wherein the support has an edge closing off the at least one aperture in the profiled section.
 6. The device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one aperture extends across a length of the profiled section.
 7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the support is movable from a closed position into an open position.
 8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the support is hinged to the housing.
 9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the support is hinged to the hollow frame.
 10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one flow channel is sealed by at least one seal.
 11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the at least one seal is a hollow profiled seal.
 12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the at least one seal is adapted to be elastically widened by a pressure medium.
 13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the pressure medium is compressed air.
 14. The device according to claim 10, wherein the support has an edge and wherein the at least one seal sealingly rests against the edge.
 15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the at least one seal is adapted to be elastically widened.
 16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the at least one seal is connected to a pressure medium source.
 17. The device according to claim 14, wherein the at least one seal is brought into sealing contact against the edge of the support by pressure loading with a pressure medium.
 18. The device according to claim 10, further comprising a profiled section that, together with the support, delimits the at least one flow channel, wherein the at least one seal is arranged in a receiving space that is delimited partially by the profiled section.
 19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the receiving space is delimited by an angled rail that is arranged on the profiled section.
 20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the support is hinged to the angled rail.
 21. The device according to claim 18, wherein the support has an edge that is positioned at the level of the receiving space.
 22. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one flow channel is sealed relative to an interior of the housing by at least one lip seal.
 23. The device according to claim 22, wherein the lip seal rests sealingly against an inner side of the support facing the interior of the housing.
 24. The device according to claim 22, further comprising a profiled section that, together with the support, delimits the at least one flow channel, wherein the lip seal is attached to a leg of the profiled section that is facing the support.
 25. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sidewall of the housing is comprised of frame modules.
 26. The device according to claim 25, wherein the frame modules have frames having a frame opening.
 27. The device according to claim 26, wherein the frame opening is closed by at least one closure element or by the support.
 28. The device according to claim 1, wherein the support is comprised of transparent material.
 29. The device according to claim 28, wherein the transparent material is glass. 